CUCV or Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle

As I had mentioned earlier, I hate cars, but love trucks. I feel for country use, for any practical means that require hauling something, even a jack, a pick up is a nice means of utility. I've always loved the United States military trucks. Basically a civilian pickup built heavy duty to handle a morbid of things, including rough handling. I'm not one of these fellas who likes teal colored trucks with shiny chrome bumpers that require washing every weekend to look nice and appealing. Frankly, to me a truck is built to be run into the ground until you cannot drive it anymore. Unfortunately though, tough trucks that are still made of steel are hard to find. But, the military CUCV has a lot going for it that makes it often over looked. For instance, it's all American with parts made in the states. It's a diesel for the most part, thus very reliable and can even be submerged deeper than say fuel injected. Too bad though that most folks want to buy something within 5 years old and well, the CUCV trucks are from the 80's. Most see them as fixer up trucks, ugly, gas hogs, not worth even a look....exactly what I want.

I love how these trucks don't say "Steal Me!" but instead say "yes, I'm ugly, move on"...the paint on these trucks are also rust proof. One doesn't need wax to keep it looking good. One doesn't have to worry about scratches...just spray with krylon and you're good to go. I don't care much for camouflage clad vehicles, but if I was to get one, it would be in Olive Drab or Tan/Sand color. Of course I'd fix it up a little, but nothing more than $300...mainly on tires and then attach either fog or driving lights. The idea is to keep it stock, while also upgrading it so it performs better on road.

But what is the cost of these vehicles? Depends. If you want a full restored version, you're looking at around $10,000 depending on where you buy it from. If you buy one that is in working order, but needs repairs, one can buy for around $5000. If you want to go cheaper, then I could buy one for close to $2000 but I'd prefer getting one in good shape and drivable from the dealer.

So where do you find such trucks? Sometimes answering this is difficult because there are not many dealers that work with these unique machines. One has to do a lot of searching both on-line and off. Some links that I have found, and one that was given to me (thanks Ray) are the best places to start, including that of a forum called "Steel Soldiers" which deals with all military vehicles.

http://www.vintagemilitarytrucks.com

http://www.steelsoldiers.com

There are also different models. For instance, M1008 is a pickup and the M1009 is a blazer, however, the model M1010 is an ambulance which I think would make a dandy camper if you had the known how on creating such things from scratch.

I HATE cars!!! Read at your own discretion

Can I be any more clear in my title? I would give anything if I could have a mule and wagon over a car. What brought this on all of sudden? Well, I picked up a nail somewhere and my Lumina had a flat tire this morning. A day all planned on doing things in town has turned into a bloody nightmare from hell. Why was it so bad? Let me just say that I'd have more fun playing with the hounds of the Baskerville than messing around with the mechanical crap that comes with changing a blooming tire. As I stated to a friend of mine earlier, the automakers in their dire attempt to make a beautiful car into a wonderfully working machine frankly need to be placed in a straight jacket and locked up in a rubber room for the rest of their natural lives. One would think that stowing a jack is easier...wrong! It took me 2 bloody fricken hours just to figure out how to stow the stupid thing and then the manual, oh the lovely manual that is actually in English, has a picture of how the jack is suppose to be stowed. Oh goody, I thought this will be easier...wrong again! The idiot, jack in the box, yahoo, who took the photo had it BACKWARDS as to how it's suppose to be! What lame brained, dip sticked, idiot puts a photo in a book showing how to stow a jack, but does it in reverse as to how it actually fits in the car??? How hard is it to actually create a manual that simple minded folk can use and not waste 2 fricken hours trying to stow something according to how it's shown in the book? One almost needs to be a rocket scientist to figure it out and 10 to 1 a rocket scientist wouldn't be able to figure it out either.

Frankly, my next vehicle is going to be a truck. At least with a truck I wont have to worry about "stowing" anything all nice and dainty in a trunk. I'll just TOSS the jack in the back and drive on and not worry about what the blooming, fricken manual says.

Now I admit, I have little patience for anything mechanical. I don't have too many problems with little engines like chain saws, motorcycle, lawn mowers...things of that nature, because if it doesn't start after me fiddling with it, I just kick the darn thing and it usually starts. But when it comes to a car...not a truck...a car, my patience goes right out the window, especially when you're just trying to change a blooming tire.

Okay, so I am ending my rant and going to have some tea. Hopefully some day I can find me a CUCV M1008 which is a military pickup truck that is tough enough to handle a jack being tossed in the back. More on this truck this weekend.

How does your garden grow?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary how does your garden grow?...well I ain't Mary, but the garden is growing fine LOL!!! The rhubarb is growing splendidly and from just three (3) plants, it's not too shabby. So far everything is growing just fine. Beans, beets, carrots, tomatoes, peas, strawberries, black berries, raspberries, cucumbers, and zucchini. The rabbits are in seventh heaven too as it's an unlimited food supply for the pesky little critters who live in the planted Christmas trees in the foreground.

Links Upon Links

Since I finally figured out how to post links, I can share some of the thousand morbid of sites that I visit regularly. Having a huge interest in homesteading, off-grid living, hobby farms, survival and outdoor actives, I feel many of you who visit this site can gain great benefit from these various links and use for your own reading and/or buying enjoyment.

Today however, I am just going to start off on the home front. Links to stores, informative resources, seeds, recipes, animal guides...anything that is encountered on the home front. Since the weekend is shot by rain once again, and since that will limit my active time outside, I'll be on-line working on this here blog a tad :).

Hope everyone had a great week and is safe from the storms in the south.

Heirloom Seeds and storage life of seeds:

http://www.seedsofchange.com/

http://www.heirloomseeds.com/

http://www.grannysheirloomseeds.com/

http://www.victoryseeds.com/

http://www.amishlandseeds.com/index.htm

http://goingorganic.com/index.htm

http://www.selectseeds.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/00107.1.088176235218711779

http://rareseeds.com/

http://www.heirloomacresseeds.com/

http://www.mariseeds.com/

http://www.seedsavers.org/

http://www.seedstrust.com/

http://www.angelfire.com/pe/kennys/p11.html

On the Homestead (great depression recipes, how to can, ag building & equip list, old fashioned mercantile)

http://www.candlecauldron.com/burntimes.html

http://geocities.com/napavalley/1918/great.html

http://www.canningusa.com/

http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/extension/ExtPubs/PlanList97.htm

http://www.lehmans.com/

Farm (draft horse, mule, oxen power, building plans for beef, poultry, etc.)

http://www.ruralheritage.com/index.htm

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/index.htm

Food and Storage:

http://waltonfeed.com/

Off-grid (store for self reliance, blog, solar, wind power products):

http://journeytoforever.org/

http://www.readymaderesources.com/about.htm

http://www.pioneerliving.net/

http://www.lostcreekwitch.com/

http://www.karavans.com/newproducts.html

Animal tracks, bird watching

http://www.bear-tracker.com/

http://www.allaboutbirds.org

Misc (Native American Recipes):

http://www.snowwowl.com/recipes/recvegetables.html

Links (survival and self reliance, weather lore)

http://www.greatdreams.com/survival.htm

http://www.americanfolklore.net/weatherlore.html

PDF Manual find

While scoping out the net a few nights ago, I ran across a Canadian site that has a few handy manuals. Most are a good, informative read and many may take to a few of them. Of interest to me is the Preserving Game Meat and Native American Health Recipes. Everyone could also enjoy a good read on Life of Daniel Boone and Complete Outdoorsman's Handbook.

http://www.canadianwildernesssurvival.com/free%20manuals/www.canadianwildernesssurvival.com%20free%20manual.html

Updated food plot

Finally I am getting the ground tilled and ready for planting. Seeing that I have clay soil to work with, when it rains, it's mud for a very long time. Yesterday I managed to get the ground tilled and though it's suppose to rain this week, I am hoping and crossing fingers that I can get the plot planted next week.